Sputnik 1 triggered the space race, then landed along American roadsides.

Not the actual Soviet satellite, of course. After sputniks first shot into orbit in 1957, a newfound U.S. fascination with space-age gadgetry brought replicas atop eateries, car lots and other high-traffic businesses. The blinking beacons lured customers suddenly enchanted with the melding of science fiction, deep space and international politics.